In the light of the operating requirements of modern motor vehicles, for example increased speeds and greater road-holding stresses, there is a need for the fit of pneumatic tires on the motor vehicle wheels to be improved. That aim may be achieved for example by deformation of the pneumatic tire when it is fitted on to the motor vehicle wheel or more specifically the rim thereof, with the deformation forces being applied to the tire by means of an array of rollers which bear against the tire, as disclosed for example in German laid-open applications (DE-OS) Nos 34 42 561 and 38 23 721. However that procedure requires additional and relatively expensive equipment to provide an improved fit for the beads of the tire on the rim portions of the disc wheel. Furthermore such a procedure and the equipment which is used to carry out the procedure do not always exclude the possibility of damage to the tire.